


Excerpts from the Moments In Between Our Days Spent Apart

by ravyn_ashling



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Adulthood, Aged-Up Character(s), Getting Together, M/M, Mixed Media, Second Chances
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-08
Updated: 2019-02-08
Packaged: 2019-10-24 01:13:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 717
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17694755
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ravyn_ashling/pseuds/ravyn_ashling
Summary: Kei has not seen Yamaguchi in over four years. When he does again, they fall into a habit that's strained but familiar.





	Excerpts from the Moments In Between Our Days Spent Apart

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Marks](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Marks/gifts).



> Hi Marks! I've been wanting to work on something with estranged Tsukkiyama meeting each other again after several years for a while now, so I was quite ecstatic when one of your requests had exactly that. Like the title suggests, these are mostly just excerpts from what would hopefully be a bigger, fuller thing in the future, and this might even qualify more as pre-slash at the moment, but I hope they manage to bring the story across still!

That wasn't the last time he'd seen Yamaguchi but it's the time he remembers right now. 

It's his first day at his new job and he and his partner had just moved to Omiya a couple of weeks ago. He expects everything to be weird for him at first, of course; that's only natural, especially for people like Kei who haven't quite mastered the art of making a delightful first impression. As an adult, he's managed to maintain a trained politeness while letting his abilities speak for themselves, and frankly, that's been working for him well so far. He doesn't expect to make easy friends nor does he want to. He has people he likes more than enough in his life and he doesn't expect he'll need any more. 

He doesn't expect _this_ either. 

Kei starts and lands back on his heels. He feels himself lift his hand but doesn't quite get there, manages a half-stunted "hey" that's barely audible. 

"Hey," Yamaguchi's says, his eyes not moving a fraction. "Tsukki."

"Oh, you two know each other, huh?"

A chuckle. "Yeah, we go way back. See you around, Tsukki."

* * *

Maybe it's because he's never had someone break up with him before. This had been his first serious relationship in his nearly thirty years of existence and he's never had a chance to learn how to deal with a three-year relationship suddenly ending. 

Maybe that's why it doesn't occur to him that he's an adult with a well-paying job that makes him perfectly capable of booking a room for himself after he's walked out of his flat in the middle of the night. He's too out of his wits that he can't function rationally. 

Maybe he just doesn't want to be alone. 

* * *

"I didn't know who else to call."

Yamaguchi looks at him then, and a small smile tugs at one side of his face. "You really should have tried to make more friends."

He's not entirely wrong and Kei almost feels the guilt like a punch to his gut. He thinks he should feel pissed off about being called out like this. But Yamaguchi has always had a knack for striking him at his very core, and this feeling is all too familiar that it stings now that he's gotten used to not feeling it for so long. He lets it escape him like a laugh and he wonders if Yamaguchi can hear how affected he is from the quiver in his breath. 

* * *

"You live by yourself now." Kei wishes he could say it like a question, but the answer is too obvious for either of them to pretend. 

"Yeah, I do."

_Whatever happened to-_

Kei wishes he could ask, but what sort of idiot asks something he should have known about all along? He opens his mouth to try anyway but at one breath of his voice, he's met with Yamaguchi's stare. Kei wishes he didn't know what that meant. 

* * *

"I do really want to try being friends again," Kei says when he calls him later the next day. 

He thinks he hears Yamaguchi clench his teeth and knows he must be holding his breath. Some habits never die. Kei bites at his thumb and stares at the ground.

"Okay."

* * *

"You look happy," Kuroo says, poking Kei on the side not at all gently. "You know, I've always thought you two would have made a better couple than just best friends."

"I don't remember asking for your insight." 

"I've been gone for ten months and you can't even welcome me warmly! Aren't you glad I was out of the country when Saito broke up with you?" 

He's an idiot. Kuroo is an idiot and Kei doesn't know why he's still even friends with him. He used to have such good taste. "It's pathetic, the lengths you go to justify your lack of dependability."

"Hey, you could have called your brother instead, but the heart wants what it wants, doesn't it?" 

"Shut up." 

"He says with no spite. But, seriously, now that I hold the much-coveted title of being your best friend -- and have for the past five years running, mind," Kei lets himself be dragged to his side, "Maybe you should quit the noble act and consider where Yamaguchi really stands in your life right now?"

* * *

Maybe. 


End file.
